The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-03-24
DR.. HIGDON COMES AGAIN,
He is Convinced that be Has Convinced
Every Living Man That to be
Taxed is Sin,


court to issue bonds to assist in
building smother railroad? l am
that most of the citizens of
Giles who have seen my position
about taxing the county in any way
to assist in building another rail
road are convinced that ] am right,
for have placed various facts mot
suppositions) before them that
many Of them know TO be facts,
viz: That about A. D. 1857, when
the county was prosperous and our
state and county tax only about 20
cents on the hundred dollars and
our state debt was quite small, a
railroad tax was voted on Giles to
assist in building the Nashville d
Decatur road. Most of the tax was
paid in four or five years and the
road built, and that or something
else produced such hard times, that
at least nine tenths of the tax-pay
ers had to sell their tax receipts at
10 to l2a cents for each dollar of
tax paid. A few moneyed men
bought them and soon owned most
of the road. After that the stock
become more valuable and the road
was leased to a Louisville company
for a number of years, at, l think,
SIX per cent. per annum, and is now
under their control or some other
rich company's control. Our state
debt continued to increase until the
interest and principal amounted to
about $30,000,0O0. Our state and
county tax were gradually increas-
ed to meet the demands of the coun-
ty and state till it reached consider
ably over one dollar on each hun
dred dollars, and on account of our
high tax our legislators reduced
most Of the state bonds fifty per
cent. and the state debt is now only
about SIT, 100000 and our tax is
reduced to about 50 or 96 cents on
the hundred dollars and that is so
high that many of our tax payers
are having to settle with constables
of the various districts in the coun-
ty. / would ask the citizens of
Giles to halt and think little and
calculate considerably, before they
vote another tax on themselves,
provided it should come before the
people, TO help to build another
railroad. Do you think, with your
present high tax, that it would be
best TO vote to add another consld-
cradle tax to our present high tax
that now exists and probably get in
condition to have to suffer or re.
pudiate portion Of it as the state
did? Why just look at the way
our cointy court did few years
ago. Through excitement or want
of thinking or calculation they vot-
ed railroad tax of $4,000 on the
citizens of Pulaski and even wen,
SO far as to have a portion of the
road graded and then had lawsuit
and let the whole thing drop through
and l do not know whether the
work done was paid for or not
they can tell. But, says one of oul
sharpers, we will not ask the citi
zens of Giles to vote a tax on them.
selves, but we will just get the
county court to issue FIVE per cen
bonds to help to build the RAILROAD
and that will not increase the peo-
pies tax over 80 cents on the hun
dred dollars, and at the enc. o
three years the road will be max
ing money enough to pay that five
per cent. and the citizens then will
be released of the 80 cents. How
many of you are able to pay the
extra tax for three years even j
you .knew it would cease then
And l would ask, if the road would
pay that well that soon, why is i
that parcel Of men that have tn
surplus means and would like t.
make q profitable investment, VIII,
is it they do not come forward an,
take stock in it and not involve tn
county or county court? You Ger
tainly can see that that calcula
ton will not do. If you canno
see it now, you may see it wher
it is too late and probably to you
sorrow too. What is going to be
come Of these $4,000 worth G
county bonds? Who will be boun'
for them but the citizens of tn
county? These shrewd talker
may tell you that the read wi
make enough to liquidate them i
a few years. But l tell you that
is too much like the spider and tn
fly that you read about when a
> school in McGuffy's reader. Th
first thing you know you might b
trapped. Let me say to you that
think (unless you move from tb
county that you and your posterit
will be taxed to help pay the prin
cipsl and iptereet on these bonds
if such bonds are ever issued, an
time will reveal to you or to you
posterity who is right. Some thin
that ! have become scared too sool
l have most generally found it cas-
er to prevent a thing than to de
stroy its existence after generated
and as a lady said in sever
: storm when she was asked to pra,
she said it was too late after til
devil Lad come. / have reiterate
some of my former CORRESPONDENT
to get it into @ more condense
form, and try to express facts an
do not dodge and suppose like SOM
| am satisfied that no amount OF e.
idence will convince some person
for when you try to convince ma
! against his interest or will, he is
the same opinion still. l will tul
Col. McCord over to the Lawrence
burg Democrat and 3. A. F. j.
some of his neighbors till the raj
road subject is ended. Yours,
l. D. K. HIGDoN.
A CITY GIRL